Just how far will a lame-duck Republican congress go?

[hiaasenrocks]

If they have a couple of months to pass whatever they want, with no possibility of a backlash at the ballot box (post-election) does anyone think they'll just go crazy and pass a bunch of things they were previously too timid to pass?

[Drum]

1. Scorched-earth, take-em-with-us far.

Same as any cornered animal. Look out.

[hedgehog]

2. I'm just praying that they don't let Bush invade Iran.

On the other hand, he might claim he alredy has that authority.

[keta11]

3. Wait and see

They are gonna pass a bill blaming the next presumably Democratic-controlled Congress for the 2002 vote to invade and nation-build Iraq, and being the cause of all our problems from 1/1/07 onwards.

[onenote]

4. not very far at all, imo

Its going to be hard for them to get anything signficant through, imho. With the election out of the way, the Senate Democrats will prevent cloture on anything that they don't like. Basically, you'll see some appropriations bills, with an attempt to do something on electronic surveillance that probably won't make it.

Also, you're going to see a mad dash to the door by repub committee staffers who will be looking to leave before the new Congress convenes (since they will be losing their jobs anyway).

[yellowcanine]

5. Not far. The ones who survived will be jockeying for power and figuring

out how to work with Speaker Pelosi. The ones who lost will be shredding documents and looking for jobs. Denny Hastert will have no ability whatsoever to pull the Republican Caucus together. It will be every Pubbie congress critter for himself.